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What's Tax Deductable for Drivers?

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BigBusBob

Veteran Expediter
Driver
I checked the Tax Topics board briefly and did not see anything that could answer my question directly.

There was a list of stuff that was able to be tax deductable and now can not seem to find it.

I'm talking about stuff for Drivers, OTR drivers, expediting or not.
Drivers, not specifically O/O's, just drivers in general.

The Meal Allowance is now $52 a day right?
so that means that I can spend up to 52 bucks a day on food and be reimbursed for it right?

Keep it simple. Stuff like 11 hours driving, 10 hours rest.
That's fairly easy, why can't taxes be that easy?

Specifics...
things like CB's and work gloves and jeans, and all that...

Is there a "List" somewhere of things that drivers can deduct from their taxes???

Thanks, BigBusBob
 
DannyD

DannyD

Veteran Expediter
I do not have the full list by any means, but one thing that I always take as a deduction is my cell phone bill. My logic is that our company makes us have one, therefore it's a business expense.

Some have told me I should pro-rate the bill according to how much I use it for business vs. personal. That's almost impossible to do though. Plus, I've been audited twice by the IRS. They've never brought it up to do it like that.

Other things I take as a deduction are the obvious. Milage, hotels, food, things for my van, etc. If someone has the full list it would be a huge help. Great Question.

Be well,
Danny
 
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tec1959

Expert Expediter
BigBusBob hi,
If you take the $52 a day deduction thats to cover everything,$52 a day away from home.The other way is if you Itemize you can take the cb's and other road expenses,But i think the $52 a day is the most easy and best way to go if you don't have to many things to claim/deduct....Also Bob with the $52 a day there's no need to keep any paperwork for things you buy while on the road,Much easier way to go...
 
C

Crazynuff

Veteran Expediter
You don't get to deduct the full $52 . I'm not sure of the percentage but I think it's around 70% . An accountant knowledgeable in trucking is a very worthwhile investment .
 
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Broompilot

Veteran Expediter
Danny if your on the Road it is 100% tax deductable cell phones. Now Jeans your gona be able to write off, put a patch on a nice button down shirt ABC Expedite yes the shirt and patch are deductable. Work boots yes tennis shoes no work gloves yes. Ask our Tax guy for more details.
 
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BigBusBob

Veteran Expediter
Driver
So it seems that the cell phones are a grey area as far as be able to be counted as "tax deductable".

Do I have to seperate business calls? I can see that being a mess.

Or can I just write the whole monthly cell phone bill off on my taxes and get reimbursed for it at the end of the tax year?

I'm seeking a "list" of what is deductable for the driver.

Jeans and boots I know, along with gloves and CB's.

Inverter's should be tax deductable right???
What about truck fridges?

What about ATM fee's??? those $2.95's add up!
What about the Comdata fee's of $3.00,
I take out 100 and it costs me 3 bucks!
That should be tax deductable. is it?
and do I save those ATM reciepts for all that record keeping?
or does ATM fee's fall under the $52 a day deduction????

You wanna hear somethin' nuts, I'm able to use the Comdata card no problem at the grocery store and Wal-Mart... but the truck stop fuel desks have me go to the ATM if I wanna buy somethin' other than fuel and truck fluids. isn't that a kick in the pants!

Regarding the tax guy... Who is our tax guy? and where do I find him?

Thanks, Bob.
 
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Broompilot

Veteran Expediter
You can read that boring publication, I ask my accountant. As for the phone if you do not have it can you make a living without it? I do not think so, its than 100% deducatable your on the road away from home period. I posted Jeans, jeans are not deducatable but a shirt with a any patch company name on it is.

I write off my dry cleaning, how? Do not have time to iron when I am home simple as that. Gotta have pressed cleaned shirts when I leave makes an impression, and for one dollar a shirt not gona badger my wife on Sunday at 6PM to please get my laundry done.

Rules says I am suppost to have this done while out of town problem is I am not staying over long enough (is the hope) to give my clothes to a dry cleaner if I get a load it may be months before I can get back to get them. Thats my story if they want to disqualify it than fine its pennies not $.

If I am out there and need it for any business purpose I am writing it off and clean clothes are necessary to me. So is a phone, in other words I write off everything on the road but food since they give me an allowance already. ATMs you gotta have $ even the govt. does not expect you to carry around $3K so yes without reading tons of info you can write it off. One suggestion get a good accountant they can BACK UP WHAT I AM SAYING do not do this on your own unless you have the business Quickens Tax Program..... Even than you should have an accountant do your returns I will never sit in a room during a tax audit thats my accountants job to keep my foot out of my mouth.....
 
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BigBusBob

Veteran Expediter
Driver
Yes, I am a co. driver for Swift Transportation.
Thanks Broompilot for keepin' it simple.
I have a cell phone and I do use it, infact it's the only way people can get a hold of me and it's a valuable tool for me since I use it on the road extensively (with a headset).
I thought jeans were tax deductable.
ATM fee's are tax deductable, ok. good.

I do have a very good tax specialist, actually she's an ex-g/f of mine. We're on good terms, thank goodness.
She does the accounting and tax work for Goodwill Industries in lower SC. She's a wiz and knows her stuff, though she's not well versed in trucking, she was able to do my taxes for me last year and did save me money. I found out I was able to write off my moving expenses, like my u-haul trailer.

She said as far as she knew a percentage of cell phone stuff is able to be written off on taxes, like cell phone batteries and accessories. The cell phone bit gets grey, I've heard mixed things, seems to me we did write off some of my cell phone calls/bills and/or a portion of them last year. Regarding the business calls, she said it's a pain, but the example she gave me today... and let me clarify that she did say she'd look further into it for me to be sure... but she said if (as an example) 25% of the cell phone is used for business, then 25% of the cost of a new cell phone battery is tax deductable. same with headsets and chargers. She's looking into the meal deduction as well. I just like it in simple terms.

Regarding Broompilots comment on dry cleaning, yes - drycleaning is tax deductable, I know that from tour bus work. When I ran tours of NYC and New England and eastern Canada, I'd have the hotels do my laundry due to the time constraints of the tours... turn it in at nite and in the morning I'd be set with 3 to 5 days worth of clean laundry. I'd turn in 75 dollar dry cleaning bills from NYC to the co., they never said a thing. Dry cleaning is tax deductable.
Sooooo, we gotta get these laundry machines to start spittin' out reciepts for all them quarters!

She told me the microwave, inverter, and electric coolers for the rig were tax deductable as well, along with any office supplies I buy for the road - like pens and note pads and stuff.

That's all for now.
Good Post, glad I posted the questions,
good replies too... keep 'em coming!
 
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